DOC 2 BE writes:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Apparently Hilton has decided to treat these "prices" as true room rates and therefore, if I ever happen to see such a rate at a Hilton family hotel I will now book it because of their business practice.
Arguments about the presence or a lack of consideration are now beyond the point, as Hilton has manifestly "advertised" that these rates are valid. As such, they are now bound by that business practice and better had hope that their filter really works. I, for one, now have no compunction about booking such a rate and expecting Hilton to honor it.</font>
I see absoulutly nothing in Hilton's statements that indicate that these are valid rates or that they should, in the future, be considered such. The fact that they are
only honoring the first night free is clear proof of that.
Rather, I see them as honoring the first night as free and subsequent nights at 50% off as merely a gesture of goodwill and admission that the mistake was theirs, and that mistake may have inconvienced some of it's customers.
That, and probably wanting to avoid bad press.
IMHO, this does not set any sort of "binding" legal precedence or some sort of legal (or conscience) waiver to jump on these sort of things in the future and expect fulfillment.
Frankly, at this point I'm a bit amazed anyone would even remotely think these were any sort of valid rates.
Hilton clearly admitted it was a mistake! If they considered these valid rates, then Mr. 300 would be getting all 300 nights free.
And everyone else too.